News Nitrogen
Gelderland furious at Rijk about buying up farms
The coalition parties of Gelderland and the SGP are angry with the government because the Ministry of Infrastructure has bought up six Gelderland farms without informing the province. With the aim of creating nitrogen space for the widening of the A27 motorway near Amelisweerd in the province of Utrecht. They call on the provincial government not to withdraw the nature permits. This means that the nitrogen space is not released.
Today (Wednesday 16 November) the Provincial Council of Gelderland is holding an emergency debate on this. Coincidentally, this afternoon there is also a roundtable discussion in the House of Representatives about the area processes, in which purchase plays a major role.
Of the eight farms that have to close or downsize for the widening of the highway, two are in Utrecht and six in Gelderland, mainly on the Veluwe. The national government and the province of Gelderland have agreed to inform each other in 2020 if there are plans to buy up (agricultural) companies in the context of external netting, coalition parties VVD, CDA, GroenLinks, PvdA and ChristenUnie and opposition party SGP state in a statement motion with the title 'Appointment = appointment'.
Dirk Vreugdenhil, party chairman of ChristenUnie in Gelderland, almost fell off his chair in surprise when he read about how the compensation was exactly shaped, he says when asked. Boerenbusiness. "We are the competent authority to create nitrogen space. We have made agreements that this must be done very carefully, since 2019 we have been working on area processes. That is a painful process and demands a lot from all sectors. Then you should read that a ministry is so just buys up six farms in Gelderland, apparently with only one goal: realizing their projects, without weighing up the social interests. We know that PAS reporters need space, nature and housing. Then a ministry cannot go straight through those processes banter." Confidence is already very low, including among farmers, says Vreugdenhil. "Everyone is in turmoil about the measures, then care is required. We just draw a line here."
The parties ask the Provincial Executive (GS) not to 'cooperate with the withdrawal of the Gelderland nature permits as long as the Gelderland policy rules and/or administrative agreements are violated'. The consequence is that the nitrogen space cannot be used for the A27 project, explains Vreugdenhil. "I was not chosen to make a road in Utrecht possible. I say to Rijkswaterstaat: ensure a careful weighing of interests." They also want the provincial government to ensure that future requests to withdraw Gelderland nature permits are in line with the Gelderland Nitrogen Measures and the area processes. "That they match the area processes and the interests that exist and that we will not be confronted with something like this again," says Vreugdenhil.
Reliable government
With the purchase of Gelderland farms, the government has passed the province and thus places 'both the province and itself in a bad light with regard to the transparency and reliability of the government', according to Gelderland politics.
The reliability of the government is also a point of attention for the province of Limburg, as evidenced by its contribution to the round table discussion in the House of Representatives this afternoon about the progress of area processes. Limburg is then concerned with 'complying with agreements and maintaining a steady line'. "Reliability also relates to permitting PAS reporters and interim workers," says Limburg. The province also states that support may decrease due to 'the high speed with which the approach must be rolled out in relation to the very complex process of weighing up all kinds of tasks, goals and interests in the rural area'.
Vreugdenhil hopes that the House will also discuss the purchase by the Ministry for the highway. "I hope they take the case with them and realize how sensitive the area processes are. You can't use undermining for that, that dents confidence and makes it more difficult to do our work."
Linda van Eekeres
© DCA Market Intelligence. This market information is subject to copyright. It is not permitted to reproduce, distribute, disseminate or make the content available to third parties for compensation, in any form, without the express written permission of DCA Market Intelligence.
